This Summer saw two iconic rock groups touring together for the first time ever. Yes, Weezer and Pixies co-headlined a 29-date tour which began on June 23rd in Tampa, FL and ended just yesterday, August 12th in Phoenix, AZ.

When the tour was first announced earlier this year, Pixies’ front-man Black Francis explained, “We’re all big Weezer fans so we’re really looking forward to this summer. We have a lot of respect for Weezer, they’re not afraid to take risks with their music.”

This tour came on the heels of the release of Weezer’s acclaimed eleventh studio album, Pacific Daydream.

This writer had the distinct pleasure of attending their show in Los Angeles at The Forum on Tuesday, August 8th. From over 100 yards away, the Weezer and Pixies logos were seen projected onto the eaves outside the venue which was a warm welcome to the area.

The duo Sleigh Bells got the night started with their brand of alt-pop tunes. Then the Pixies hit the stage and performed some of their biggest songs. By the time their set began, the venue was packed to the brim with an eager crowd. It was clear by all the Pixies shirts that there were some serious devout fans in attendance.

Once the Pixies wrapped up, there was a brief intermission while the stage crew quickly changed the backdrop to look like the set of Happy Days a la their 1994 MTV Video Music Award winning video, “Buddy Holly.” From the sides of venue, Weezer front-man Rivers Cuomo could be seen sound checking his guitar and warming up on stage.

From the beginning to the end of the show, Weezer delivered every possible song a true Weezer fan would want to hear and a whole lot more. They began their set with the aforementioned beloved “Buddy Holly” and then moved onto “Beverly Hills,” “Pork and Beans,” “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “MyName Is Jonas.” While Rivers talked very little during the show, he did at one point mention how happy the band was to be back in LA.

“Hey LA! It’s good to be home. We have had a great summer with the Pixies but it’s always good to be home, back to LA where it all started in 1994 and here’s one from way back then…”

Suddenly the backdrop changed again to look like a garage and Weezer began playing their 1994 track “In The Garage.” Cuomo also changed out of his prep school cardigan and tie to a more relaxed Portland Trailblazer shirt. During this section, Weezer performed a cover mash-up of The Turtles hit “Happy Together” with Green Day’s “Longview.

Then it was time for yet another stage and outfit change for Rivers. He switched into a boat captain’s uniform and hat and he hopped onto a scooter and went to the other end of the venue where a smaller stage shaped like a little sailboat waited for him. From there, he performed acoustic versions of “Island In The Sun” and a cover of A-Ha’s “Take On Me.”At one point, Cuomo asked the audience to turn on their phone lights and create a spotlight with them on him.

Once those were over, he scootered back to the main stage to join the rest of the band and the newly vamped pyro-technic stage set-up. Once again, he changed into a sleeveless Nirvana t-shirt for this section. During this part, Weezer performed “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) IWant You To”, their 2018 radio single, Feels Like Summer and their current hugely popular cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Half-way through this number, the comedian Weird Al walked on stage playing the accordion. Throughout this section, high flames shot out of the stage.

Then it was time for a rousing encore of “Susanne” and a mash-up of their big hit “Say It Ain’t So” with Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.”

Weezer has sold 9.2 million albums in the US and over 17 million worldwide so there is no denying that their music is timeless and has continued to live on in the hearts of older generations and their new music is certainly reaching the younger generations as well.

About the Author

Leah Brungardt (recently married) joined All Access Music Group in August 2011 and has been enjoying getting to know a new side of the music industry ever since. Having worked to promote radio stations in the past, seeing what makes a successful radio hit has been a thrill. As a lover of all genres of music, working at All Access Music Group is a perfect fit for Leah, and she loves learning about up and coming musicians as well. Most of her friends have come to rely on her for new music.
Leah grew up overseas attending American international schools and attended The University of Arizona, where she earned a BA in Music Management. She roots for the Wildcats every chance she gets.
Leah has been able to work at a variety of music-related jobs including several internships at small independent labels, ClearChannel Radio and Journal Broadcasting Group. She also spent time working retail at a store that specializes in vinyl, which was a lot of fun for her. Her favorite movie is Empire Records, so that makes perfect sense.